Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking, or intends to take, to improve air links with Brussels following the collapse of Sabena.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive, in partnership with the Enterprise Networks, VisitScotland and the airport operators, continues to encourage the development of commercial and cost effective air services from Scotland to Brussels and other destinations for the benefit of the travelling public and the Scottish economy. There are currently daily services operated by BMI and British European between Edinburgh and Brussels, and daily services operated by Ryanair between Prestwick and Brussels (Charleroi).

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19753 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, how many vacancies for NHS consultant oncologist posts there now are in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Based on information provided by local NHS management, there is currently one vacant post in the existing consultant oncologist establishment. Three further consultant posts will become vacant over the next two to three months as resignations take effect. Four new, additional consultant posts also require to be filled, funded from the additional cancer services investment plans announced by Susan Deacon on 6 November 2001.

Climate Change

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase investment in the collection and correlation of climate data throughout Scotland.

Allan Wilson: As part of the Scottish Climate Change Programme, work is on-going to improve Scottish climate change data to understand better the contribution we are making in Scotland to emissions savings and the possible impacts of climate change. The Executive has commissioned and published a significant amount of research, the findings of which is disseminated widely and can be accessed on the Executive’s climate change website at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange . Research requirements for 2002-03 are currently under review.

Climate Change

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the economic impact of climatic change in the Moray Firth area resulting in wetter winters, warmer summers and sea level rises, as predicted in the recent research conducted by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Allan Wilson: Research into Potential Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in Scotland  was published by the Executive in October 2001. This research will assist local decision makers in consideration of policy responses to adapt to the anticipated impacts of climate change in their communities. In addition, a significant amount of research into the likely effects of climate change in Scotland has been published by the Executive to inform local decision making, the findings of which have been disseminated widely and are available on the Executive's climate change website at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange/. Guidance designed to help local authority chief executives respond to the challenge of climate change was issued in August.

Climate Change

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to design and implement a coastal zone management plan to address rising sea levels and demographic changes around the Scottish coasts, as predicted in the recent research conducted by the Tyndall Centre for Research.

Allan Wilson: National Policy Planning Guidelines are in place on planning and flooding and coastal planning. A number of planning authorities have already considered the need to develop shoreline management plans which take account of the effects of rising sea levels on existing and future developments.

  The Scottish Coastal Forum is currently developing a strategy for the integrated management of Scotland's coast which will address the issue of rising sea levels.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to safeguard the role of Scottish literature in the revised Higher Still in English and Communication.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I endorsed the conclusions of the recent review of English and Communication which indicated that Scottish literature should remain a compulsory part of the course.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to extend the definition of "text" in the Personal Study Component of the revised Higher Still in English and Communication to allow non-literary discourse in English and Scots.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority who provide guidance to centres about the requirements of courses.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide detailed guidance on the range and quality of writing that is to be internally assessed in the revised Higher Still assessment schemes in English and Communication.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority who provide guidance to centres.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in resolving any concerns expressed by parents and teachers about the Higher Still English exam.

Nicol Stephen: The National Qualifications Task Group established a sub-group last year to review the design of National Courses in English and Communication. The sub-group reported in November 2001 and a copy of its report has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18412). I endorsed the report on 15 November and asked Scottish Qualifications Authority to implement the recommendations.

Emergency Planning

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has allocated for emergency planning in the current financial year.

Dr Richard Simpson: The Scottish Executive is not advised of local authority planned expenditure on emergency planning in any given year. It is entirely a matter for local authorities to determine their spending priorities, taking into account the resources available to them, and to decide how much to spend on emergency planning.

Enterprise

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to BAE SYSTEMS plc concerning the transfer of the Nimrod programme from Prestwick to Chadderton, Greater Manchester.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in dialogue with the company on a number of issues, of which this is one.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the post of Inspector of Salmon Fisheries still exists and, if so, whether the post has undergone any material changes in the last 12 months.

Allan Wilson: The post of Inspector was created under provisions in the Fishery Board (Scotland) Act 1882, which was repealed by the Salmon Act 1986.

  The title was retained until earlier this year, when the separate posts of Inspector and Head of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Branch were merged to lead the reinforced Branch in delivering the Green Paper agenda.

Flood Prevention

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance has been made available to (a) Inverclyde Council and (b) Renfrewshire Council in respect of flooding and related problems in each of the last four years.

Allan Wilson: All of the flood prevention schemes (FPS) taken forward by Inverclyde Council and Renfrewshire Council under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, have been supported by the Executive and all received financial assistance.

  Flood prevention grant, at the rate of 50% of scheme costs, has been offered to

  


(a) Inverclyde Council for: 
  



 Earnhill Road, Gourock FPS 
  

Year 2001-02 
  

Grant £116,000 
  



(b) Renfrewshire Council for: 
  



 Moredun FPS, Paisley 
  

Year 2000-01 
  

Grant £600,000 
  



 Collier Street, FPS, Johnston 
  

Year 2001-02 
  

Grant £543,000 
  



  I understand Renfrewshire Council will be submitting a grant application for the River Gryffe, Crosslee, Houston Flood Prevention Scheme during the course of this financial year.

  In addition, local authorities’ annual expenditure settlements include an element for flood prevention activities.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research into the link between housing conditions and the number of winter deaths.

Iain Gray: Excess winter deaths have many and complex causes. But insofar as they may be related to cold and damp houses they will be tackled by the Central Heating Programme. We have already conducted a study of the feasibility of research on the health effects of the Central Heating Programme and are now commissioning a major study of the associations between the two.

Housing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has to ensure that affordable accommodation is provided and built within Edinburgh.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 enhances the strategic planning role of local authorities by giving them new powers and duties to determine housing need in their areas and to develop strategies to meet that need. Development funding to assist with the provision of affordable housing will continue to be available in Edinburgh, as elsewhere, and the Act provides that responsibility for this funding may pass to local authorities to underpin their strategic planning role.

  From a land use planning perspective, National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 3: Land for Housing notes that planning authorities may properly take account of the need for affordable housing when formulating their development plan policies. The Executive has no planning policy specific to Edinburgh. NPPG 3 is currently being reviewed.

Human Rights Act 1998

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are given to sheriffs on children’s rights in divorce settlements in the context of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Mr Jim Wallace: Sheriffs have a general statutory duty to take decisions in divorce cases which are in the best interests of the children concerned. Training in relevant aspects of the Human Rights Act 1998 has been provided to sheriffs by the independent Judicial Studies Committee.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be taken to address the increase in the number of people who were proceeded against for the motor vehicle offence of driving while disqualified.

Mr Jim Wallace: A Home Office review of a number of road traffic offences, including driving while disqualified, is currently being carried out and the consultation period has now ended. Although road traffic law is reserved, the Scottish Executive has been involved in discussions with the Home Office and the Department of Transport Local Government and Regions from the outset of this review and will continue to be closely involved in all future stages.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for driving without insurance annually since 1997 (a) nationally and (b) broken down by each sheriff court district.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table.

  Offences of driving without insurance proved in court, 1997-2000

  


Sheriff Court 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



Aberdeen 
  

963 
  

994 
  

970 
  

778 
  



Airdrie 
  

452 
  

346 
  

472 
  

422 
  



Alloa 
  

109 
  

89 
  

91 
  

110 
  



Arbroath 
  

175 
  

229 
  

158 
  

195 
  



Ayr 
  

497 
  

448 
  

373 
  

472 
  



Banff 
  

89 
  

90 
  

157 
  

89 
  



Campbeltown 
  

40 
  

21 
  

24 
  

22 
  



Cupar 
  

151 
  

155 
  

144 
  

152 
  



Dingwall 
  

52 
  

74 
  

68 
  

42 
  



Dornoch 
  

30 
  

19 
  

23 
  

10 
  



Dumbarton 
  

460 
  

356 
  

332 
  

383 
  



Dumfries 
  

345 
  

330 
  

410 
  

387 
  



Dundee 
  

712 
  

687 
  

640 
  

666 
  



Dunfermline 
  

388 
  

384 
  

359 
  

416 
  



Dunoon 
  

62 
  

68 
  

56 
  

49 
  



Duns 
  

21 
  

31 
  

25 
  

31 
  



Edinburgh 
  

1,917 
  

1,917 
  

1,647 
  

1,779 
  



Elgin 
  

236 
  

263 
  

239 
  

172 
  



Falkirk 
  

415 
  

373 
  

409 
  

430 
  



Forfar 
  

153 
  

135 
  

121 
  

128 
  



Fort William 
  

87 
  

43 
  

47 
  

13 
  



Glasgow 
  

1,708 
  

1,911 
  

1,440 
  

1,153 
  



Greenock 
  

318 
  

248 
  

242 
  

254 
  



Haddington 
  

181 
  

161 
  

147 
  

142 
  



Hamilton 
  

1,241 
  

1,069 
  

1,063 
  

1,188 
  



Inverness 
  

216 
  

195 
  

209 
  

116 
  



Jedburgh 
  

81 
  

58 
  

70 
  

90 
  



Kilmarnock 
  

591 
  

555 
  

538 
  

508 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

515 
  

555 
  

495 
  

559 
  



Kirkcudbright 
  

46 
  

57 
  

70 
  

51 
  



Kirkwall 
  

25 
  

27 
  

42 
  

9 
  



Lanark 
  

157 
  

118 
  

168 
  

171 
  



Lerwick 
  

27 
  

25 
  

29 
  

26 
  



Linlithgow 
  

528 
  

439 
  

464 
  

520 
  



Lochmaddy 
  

15 
  

13 
  

10 
  

6 
  



Oban 
  

51 
  

39 
  

58 
  

43 
  



Paisley 
  

700 
  

605 
  

544 
  

545 
  



Peebles 
  

26 
  

26 
  

14 
  

10 
  



Perth 
  

373 
  

357 
  

309 
  

327 
  



Peterhead 
  

216 
  

186 
  

117 
  

126 
  



Portree 
  

35 
  

15 
  

12 
  

3 
  



Rothesay 
  

8 
  

2 
  

5 
  

22 
  



Selkirk 
  

63 
  

72 
  

71 
  

41 
  



Stirling 
  

247 
  

210 
  

245 
  

237 
  



Stonehaven 
  

205 
  

155 
  

159 
  

93 
  



Stornoway 
  

37 
  

40 
  

44 
  

19 
  



Stranraer 
  

141 
  

130 
  

107 
  

103 
  



Tain 
  

63 
  

84 
  

60 
  

18 
  



Wick 
  

56 
  

46 
  

38 
  

33 
  



Not Known1


- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

694 
  



Sheriff Court Total 
  

15,224 
  

14,450 
  

13,535 
  

13,853 
  



Glasgow Stipendiary Magistrates Court 
  

2,035 
  

909 
  

817 
  

727 
  



Other Courts 
  

102 
  

53 
  

109 
  

65 
  



Total 
  

17,361 
  

15,412 
  

14,461 
  

14,645 
  



  Note:

  1. Sheriff courts in Grampian and Northern police force area not separately identified.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatal road accidents there have been involving an uninsured driver in each year from 1997 to date (a) nationally and (b) broken down by either (i) local authority area or (ii) sheriff court, as appropriate.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents there have been which involved an uninsured driver in each year since 1997 (a) nationally and (b) broken down by either (i) local authority area or (ii) Sheriff Court, as appropriate.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were convicted of assault on a police officer in Edinburgh in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons with a charge proved for assaulting a police officer1, Edinburgh2, 1997-2000

  


Year 
  

Number 
  



1997 
  

258 
  



1998 
  

335 
  



1999 
  

265 
  



2000 
  

259 
  



  Notes:

  1. Where the main offence was an offence under section 41(a) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967.

  2. Edinburgh Sheriff Court and City of Edinburgh District Court.

Justice

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrests have been made in the vicinity of live railway lines in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not available centrally.

Mental Health

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funds will be made available for mental health services specifically for the provision of collective advocacy services; when any such funds will be made available, and how much any such funding is likely to be.

Malcolm Chisholm: The provision of all forms of advocacy services are the responsibility of local NHS Boards and their local authority partners to support from within their existing allocations. This of course includes those with mental health needs.

  The recently published Renewing Mental Health Law Policy Statement recognises that NHSScotland and their local authority care partners should work together to provide support to "collective" advocacy groups. It is for these agencies to decide what support is needed in light of local circumstances.

Mental Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the recommendations in the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland  on (a) psychological interventions and (b) eating disorders are implemented by health boards and trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: The new guidance published is designed to show agencies what needs to be in place where and when to provide good psychological interventions and eating disorder services.

  The workforce skills, recruitment, training and retention issues are recognised and are under active consideration. Meantime, the Mental Health and Well Being Support Group, the Scottish Health Advisory Service and others will consider and report on local responses and progress in delivering the care and support needed in each case added to which will be the reviews under the new Performance Assessment Framework which will include consideration of progress made by agencies across the mental health agenda.

Modern Apprenticeships

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to increase female participation in Modern Apprenticeships in light of Blake Stevenson’s report Mapping of Lifelong Learning Provision in Scotland .

Ms Wendy Alexander: All Modern Apprentices have employed status and so participation by males and females will reflect recruitment trends in specific sectors. There is scope to maximise Modern Apprenticeships in sectors with less of an apprenticeship tradition, and which have higher female employment rates. The Enterprise Network will be working with National Training Organisations to target increased uptake in these sectors. Initiatives like Make it in Scotland are being developed to raise awareness of job opportunities, including Modern Apprentices, for women in traditional sectors.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what size of budget and (b) how many (i) staff and (ii) non-departmental public bodies, indicating the location of the offices for these staff and bodies, each minister is currently responsible for.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details on Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) including budgets, staff numbers and office locations are contained in the annual publication Public Bodies . This document is considered the best means by which to present this type of information in a useful and meaningful way. The current edition of the document is available from www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango and the 2001 edition will be published shortly.

  The number of NDPBs for which each minister is currently responsible is set out in the following table. Implementation of the recommendations contained in Public Bodies: Proposals for Change is continuing and these numbers are likely to change as part of the on-going review process.

  


Minister 
  

No. of NDPBs 
  



Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice 
  

401




Minister for Education and Young People 
  

382




Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning 
  

10 
  



Minister for Environment and Rural Development 
  

18 
  



Minister for Finance and Public Services 
  

2 
  



Minister for Health and Community Care 
  

323




Minister for Social Justice 
  

3 
  



Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport 
  

11 
  



  Notes:

  1. Includes 32 Justices of the Peace Advisory Committees.

  2. Includes 32 Children’s Panels.

  3. Includes 15 health boards.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many parliamentary questions it has responded to in each six-month period since its inception and what the average time taken to reply to parliamentary questions was in each six-month period.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: Official records on the total number of written parliamentary questions answered daily have only been maintained since April 2001. The number of questions which have been answered substantively in each month from April to September 2001 is as follows:

  


Month (2001) 
  

Number of questions answered 
  



April 
  

760 
  



May 
  

891 
  



June 
  

546 
  



July 
  

412 
  



August 
  

728 
  



September 
  

662 
  



  Information on the number of parliamentary questions due for answer and answered each month from May 1999 is available in the Audits of Parliamentary Questions published by the Scottish Executive quarterly, copies of which are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  The average times taken to reply to parliamentary questions could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, work is proceeding on the development of management information linked to the new electronic PQ tracking system which was introduced earlier in the year. It is hoped that, once complete, the system will be able to provide detailed information such as the average time taken to respond.

  In the light of provisions of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, ministers aim to answer parliamentary questions for written answer within 14 days (or 28 days for those lodged in the seven days before, or during, a period of recess of more than four days).

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of issuing a holding answer to a parliamentary question and how many holding answers it has issued in each six-month period since its inception.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The estimated cost of issuing a holding answer is £2.20, based on the average gross salary of the officials involved, accommodation, establishment and overhead costs.

  Official records on the total number of holding answers issued to written parliamentary questions have only been maintained since April 2001. The number of holding answers which have been issued in each month from April to September 2001 is as follows:

  


Month (2001) 
  

Number of holding answers 
  



April 
  

265 
  



May 
  

226 
  



June 
  

103 
  



July 
  

149 
  



August 
  

155 
  



September 
  

159

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14451 by Mr Tom McCabe on 6 April 2001, on how many occasions before 10 July 2000 and since 22 March 2001 it has asked back-bench MSPs to lodge parliamentary questions in order to enable it to make an announcement or for any other purpose; whether it will provide a list of such questions, including the date on which they were lodged and the MSP who lodged them, and whether it can provide similar details of any (a) oral and (b) First Minister's questions lodged on the same basis since May 1999.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14451 by Mr Tom McCabe on 6 April 2001, on how many occasions since then it has asked MSPs to lodge parliamentary questions in order to enable it to make an announcement and whether it will provide a list of such questions, giving the date on which they were lodged and the names of the MSPs who lodged them.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: Due to limited storage space available, central records for individual written parliamentary questions which include details of occasions when the Scottish Executive "has asked back-bench MSPs to lodge parliamentary questions", are held for a maximum period of 18 months. The following 139 questions were lodged between 27 March to 30 November 2001. Oral parliamentary questions and First Minister’s questions are not used for this purpose. From 7 January 2002, all questions initiated by the Executive in order to make an announcement will be identified as such in the Business Bulletin.

  


PQ ID (S1W-) 
  

MSP 
  

Date Lodged* 
  



14552 
  

Dr Elaine Murray 
  

27/3/01 
  



14582 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

28/3 
  



14612 
  

Robert Brown 
  

29/3 
  



14753 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

3/4 
  



14765 
  

Cathy Peattie 
  

3/4 
  



14766 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

3/4 
  



15188 
  

Bristow Muldoon 
  

19–20/4 
  



15190 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

19-20/4 
  



15191 
  

Paul Martin 
  

19-20/4 
  



15338 
  

Mr John McAllion 
  

26/4 
  



15346 
  

Paul Martin 
  

26/4 
  



15380 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

26/4 
  



15408 
  

Elaine Smith 
  

27/4 
  



15502 
  

Dr Sylvia Jackson 
  

1/5 
  



15511 
  

Cathy Jamieson 
  

1/5 
  



15535 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

2/5 
  



15559 
  

Hugh Henry 
  

2/5 
  



15561 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

3/5 
  



15586 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

3/5 
  



15653 
  

Rhoda Grant 
  

8/5 
  



15654 
  

Dr Elaine Murray 
  

8/5 
  



15655 
  

Mr Michael McMahon 
  

8/5 
  



15656 
  

Gordon Jackson 
  

8/5 
  



15701 
  

Rhoda Grant 
  

9/5 
  



15706 
  

Maureen Macmillan 
  

9/5 
  



15741 
  

Mr Frank McAveety 
  

10/5 
  



15787 
  

Maureen Macmillan 
  

15/5 
  



15815 
  

Ian Jenkins 
  

16/5 
  



15817 
  

Iain Smith 
  

17/5 
  



15818 
  

Margaret Jamieson 
  

17/5 
  



15834 
  

Cathy Jamieson 
  

17/5 
  



15930 
  

Elaine Thomson 
  

22/5 
  



15961 
  

Mr Michael McMahon 
  

24/5 
  



16137 
  

Mr Michael McMahon 
  

31/5 
  



16187 
  

Paul Martin 
  

6/6 
  



16188 
  

Dr Sylvia Jackson 
  

6/6 
  



16208 
  

Mr Michael McMahon 
  

7/6 
  



16209 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

7/6 
  



16219 
  

Elaine Smith 
  

11/6 
  



16223 
  

Mr Duncan McNeil 
  

11/6 
  



16228 
  

Dr Elaine Murray 
  

11/6 
  



16447 
  

Ian Jenkins 
  

20/6 
  



16460 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

21/6 
  



16461 
  

Mr Jamie Stone 
  

21/6 
  



16544 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

25/6 
  



16548 
  

Bristow Muldoon 
  

25/6 
  



16556 
  

Mr Jamie Stone 
  

26/6 
  



16557 
  

Brian Fitzpatrick 
  

26/6 
  



16568 
  

Dr Richard Simpson 
  

26/6 
  



16578 
  

Mr Kenneth MacIntosh 
  

26/6 
  



16596 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

26/6 
  



16664 
  

Mr Jamie Stone 
  

27/6 
  



16672 
  

Maureen Macmillan 
  

27/6 
  



16673 
  

Elaine Thomson 
  

27/6 
  



16687 
  

Mike Watson 
  

28/6 
  



16688 
  

Mr Andy Kerr 
  

28/6 
  



16689 
  

Bill Butler 
  

28/6 
  



16690 
  

Elaine Smith 
  

28/6 
  



16696 
  

Elaine Thomson 
  

28/6 
  



16741 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

29/6–5/7 
  



16750 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

29/6-5/7 
  



16790 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

29/6-5/7 
  



16800 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

29/6-5/7 
  



16832 
  

Ms Irene Oldfather 
  

29/6-5/7 
  



16833 
  

Mr Jamie Stone 
  

29/6-5/7 
  



16917 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

6-12/7 
  



16942 
  

Mr Duncan McNeil 
  

6-12/7 
  



16998 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

13-19/7 
  



17045 
  

Ian Jenkins 
  

13-19/7 
  



17063 
  

Tavish Scott 
  

13-19/7 
  



17104 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

13-19/7 
  



17156 
  

Dr Sylvia Jackson 
  

20-26/7 
  



17159 
  

Mr Kenneth MacIntosh 
  

20-26/7 
  



17266 
  

Ian Jenkins 
  

20-26/7 
  



17395 
  

Karen Gillon 
  

3-9/8 
  



17427 
  

Mr Andy Kerr 
  

3-9/8 
  



17431 
  

Dr Elaine Murray 
  

3-9/8 
  



17442 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

3-9/8 
  



17524 
  

Karen Whitefield 
  

10-16/8 
  



17807 
  

Mr John McAllion 
  

24-29/8 
  



17828 
  

Mr Kenneth MacIntosh 
  

24-29/8 
  



17829 
  

Mr Michael McMahon 
  

24-29/8 
  



17838 
  

Elaine Thomson 
  

30-31/8 
  



17882 
  

Karen Whitefield 
  

30-31/8 
  



17883 
  

Cathy Peattie 
  

30-31/8 
  



17937 
  

Bristow Muldoon 
  

4/9 
  



17938 
  

Brian Fitzpatrick 
  

5/9 
  



17959 
  

Rhoda Grant 
  

5/9 
  



17969 
  

Mr Duncan McNeil 
  

5/9 
  



17989 
  

Ian Jenkins 
  

7/9 
  



18030 
  

Donald Gorrie 
  

10/9 
  



18044 
  

Karen Whitefield 
  

10/9 
  



18081 
  

Maureen Macmillan 
  

11/9 
  



18107 
  

Elaine Smith 
  

12/9 
  



18158 
  

Pauline McNeill 
  

13/9 
  



18240 
  

Mr Kenneth MacIntosh 
  

18/9 
  



18241 
  

Mr Duncan McNeil 
  

18/9 
  



18246 
  

Des McNulty 
  

18/9 
  



18253 
  

Mike Watson 
  

19/9 
  



18256 
  

Mr John Home Robertson 
  

19/9 
  



18383 
  

Paul Martin 
  

20/9 
  



18461 
  

Mrs Mary Mulligan 
  

21/9 
  



18491 
  

Mr Andy Kerr 
  

24/9 
  



18492 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

24/9 
  



18524 
  

Cathy Peattie 
  

25/9 
  



18539 
  

Mr Kenneth MacIntosh 
  

25/9 
  



18555 
  

Paul Martin 
  

26/9 
  



18622 
  

Dr Elaine Murray 
  

27/9 
  



18787 
  

Karen Whitefield 
  

3/10 
  



18788 
  

Janis Hughes 
  

3/10 
  



18789 
  

Kate MacLean 
  

3/10 
  



18908 
  

Dr Sylvia Jackson 
  

5-11/10 
  



18932 
  

Nora Radcliffe 
  

5-11/10 
  



18945 
  

Marilyn Livingstone 
  

5-11/10 
  



19026 
  

Kate MacLean 
  

5-11/10 
  



19035 
  

Marilyn Livingstone 
  

5-11/10 
  



19085 
  

Mr Duncan McNeil 
  

12-18/10 
  



19149 
  

Kate MacLean 
  

12-18/10 
  



19150 
  

Margaret Jamieson 
  

12-18/10 
  



19289 
  

Rhoda Grant 
  

23/10 
  



19357 
  

Margaret Jamieson 
  

24/10 
  



19358 
  

Bristow Muldoon 
  

24/10 
  



19634 
  

Mr Andy Kerr 
  

2/11 
  



19721 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

6/11 
  



19840 
  

Scott Barrie 
  

9/11 
  



19859 
  

Nora Radcliffe 
  

9/11 
  



19923 
  

Cathy Jamieson 
  

13/11 
  



19948 
  

Johann Lamont 
  

14/11 
  



19977 
  

Marilyn Livingstone 
  

15/11 
  



19978 
  

Elaine Thomson 
  

15/11 
  



20017 
  

Mr John Farquhar Munro 
  

15/11 
  



20077 
  

Dr Sylvia Jackson 
  

19/11 
  



20138 
  

Iain Smith 
  

20/11 
  



20143 
  

Karen Gillon 
  

20/11 
  



20311 
  

Maureen Macmillan 
  

23/11 
  



20386 
  

Robert Brown 
  

26/11 
  



20388 
  

Ms Irene Oldfather 
  

26/11 
  



20533 
  

Des McNulty 
  

28/11 
  



20577 
  

Karen Whitefield 
  

29/11 
  



  *These dates have been taken from the appropriate Business Bulletins.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19660 by Iain Gray on 16 November 2001, whether it will provide the information requested in respect of each year to date for which the supply of such information would not incur disproportionate costs to the Scottish Prison Service.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  As of Tuesday, 18 December 2001, the Scottish Prison Service houses approximately 251 convicted sex offenders who have been placed on the sex offender register who are serving four years and over. Their location is:

  


Prison 
  

2001 
  



Shotts 
  

3 
  



Polmont 
  

8 
  



Peterhead 
  

187 
  



Perth 
  

3 
  



Kilmarnock 
  

5 
  



Glenochil 
  

31 
  



Edinburgh 
  

6 
  



Cornton Vale 
  

2 
  



Barlinnie 
  

5 
  



Aberdeen 
  

1 
  



Total 
  

251

Prison Service

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which prisons prisoners are still slopping out each morning and how many prisoners are slopping out in each such prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The total number of prisoner places in the SPS estate which do not have access to proper night time sanitation is 1,905, distributed as follows:

  


Establishment 
  

Number of places without night time sanitation* 
  



Barlinnie 
  

833 
  



Edinburgh 
  

292 
  



Glenochil 
  

174 
  



Perth 
  

146 
  



Peterhead 
  

296 
  



Polmont 
  

164 
  



Total 
  

1,905 
  



  Note:

  * Not all prisoner places are in use e.g. during refurbishment or repair and some places have porta-potties that do not require daily slopping out.

Public Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the introduction of light rapid transit systems in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Lewis Macdonald: The development of local transport initiatives, such as light rapid transit systems is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, or in the case of the Strathclyde area, the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority. However, public transport proposals such as these may be also eligible for financial support from the Scottish Executive’s Public Transport Fund or the Integrated Transport Fund.

  City of Edinburgh Council was awarded £6.5 million by the Scottish Executive in October last year to develop proposals for a North Edinburgh light rapid transit system.

Roads

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory duties local authorities have for the gritting of roads and pedestrian routes.

Lewis Macdonald: As local roads authorities, councils have a general duty under section 1 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to maintain local roads in their area. Section 34 of the 1984 Act also places a duty on councils to "take such steps as they consider reasonable to prevent snow and ice endangering the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over public roads".

Roads

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Amey Highways Ltd or BEAR (Scotland) Ltd have been involved in ‘partnering workshops’ since 1 April 2001 and, if so, (a) on what dates and where each workshop took place; (b) what organisations were represented by how many persons on each occasion; (c) what the agenda was for each workshop and (d) what the cost was to the public purse for these workshops, to the nearest pound, in total and for each individual event, broken down by contract area.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has held Partnering Workshops with Amey Highways Ltd and BEAR Scotland Ltd. A joint workshop was held for the South East and South West Units on 31 May and 1 June 2001 at the Norton House Hotel, Ingliston. The workshops for the North East Unit and North West Unit were held on 12 and 13 September respectively at the Windlestrae Hotel, Kinross.

  The organisations represented and participant numbers at each workshop were as follows:

  


South East/South West 
  

Scottish Executive staff 
  

7 
  



Performance Audit Group 
  

3 
  



Amey Highways Ltd 
  

9 
  



W A Fairhurst 
  

1 
  



North East 
  

Scottish Executive staff 
  

7 
  



Performance Audit Group 
  

5 
  



BEAR Scotland Ltd 
  

8 
  



North West 
  

Scottish Executive Staff 
  

9 
  



Performance Audit Group 
  

5 
  



BEAR Scotland Ltd 
  

9 
  



  The agenda for each workshop included the following topics:

  contract processes and objectives

  communications between organisations

  practical ideas to improve works

  working together to maintain roads

  safety improvements

  understanding other organisations aspirations and objectives

  establishment of working relations

  identification of future benefits for road users

  development of working relationships.

  The total cost to the Scottish Executive for the four days of the workshops was £5,178. The cost to the Executive for the SE/SW event was £3,178. The cost for the NE and the NW was £1,000 for each event.

Schools

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what comparisons exist between the exam results achieved by primary schools of less than 150 pupils and those with more than 150 pupils and what any such comparative results show for each local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Primary teachers monitor pupil progress through 5-14 levels A-F in the different aspects of the curriculum, using a variety of evidence from coursework. National Tests in reading, writing and mathematics are used by teachers to confirm their judgement that a pupil has completed one level and is ready to move on to the next. These tests can be carried out at any time during the school session.

  In June of each year, the Scottish Executive conducts a survey to collect information on the highest 5-14 attainment level achieved by publicly funded primary and secondary pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. This survey provides a "snapshot" of the position as at the date of the survey.

  The following table shows the percentage of pupils in P3, P4, P6 and P7 who had achieved or exceeded the expected 5-14 attainment level for their stage in reading, writing and mathematics, as at June 2001. The results are broken down by those schools that had less than 150 pupils and those with 150 or more pupils, and by local authority.

  5-14 Attainment of pupils in primary schools with less than 150 pupils and those with 150 or more pupils, in reading, writing and mathematics, by local authority, as at June 2001.

  Pupils attaining or exceeding expected levels by the end of the stage.

  Publicly funded schools only.

  





Percentage of P3, P4, P6, P7 pupils attaining 
  or exceeding minimum 5-14 levels for their stage 
  



Local Authority 
  

No. of pupils in School 
  

No. of Schools 
  

Reading 
  

Writing 
  

Mathematics 
  



Scotland 
  

<150 
  

959 
  

79.5% 
  

70.4% 
  

78.8% 
  



150+ 
  

1,258 
  

79.9% 
  

70.3% 
  

79.3% 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

<150 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  



150+ 
  

48 
  

79.2% 
  

69.1% 
  

77.0% 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

<150 
  

107 
  

80.3% 
  

69.5% 
  

80.2% 
  



150+ 
  

49 
  

80.3% 
  

70.2% 
  

79.7% 
  



Angus 
  

<150 
  

36 
  

81.3% 
  

69.8% 
  

80.3% 
  



150+ 
  

24 
  

77.6% 
  

64.7% 
  

73.9% 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

<150 
  

67 
  

81.2% 
  

73.6% 
  

77.2% 
  



150+ 
  

16 
  

83.6% 
  

74.3% 
  

81.2% 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

<150 
  

5 
  

75.1% 
  

62.2% 
  

73.3% 
  



150+ 
  

14 
  

78.5% 
  

67.2% 
  

77.6% 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

<150 
  

80 
  

82.0% 
  

73.7% 
  

80.2% 
  



150+ 
  

34 
  

74.0% 
  

63.9% 
  

72.7% 
  



Dundee City 
  

<150 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  



150+ 
  

37 
  

76.5% 
  

66.1% 
  

75.1% 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

<150 
  

11 
  

81.0% 
  

79.5% 
  

84.8% 
  



150+ 
  

35 
  

77.5% 
  

69.7% 
  

80.3% 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

<150 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  



150+ 
  

32 
  

90.2% 
  

82.5% 
  

89.5% 
  



East Lothian 
  

<150 
  

13 
  

80.3% 
  

70.7% 
  

79.7% 
  



150+ 
  

22 
  

81.4% 
  

74.9% 
  

78.2% 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

<150 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  



150+ 
  

22 
  

88.3% 
  

81.0% 
  

89.8% 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

<150 
  

14 
  

70.9% 
  

53.9% 
  

70.7% 
  



150+ 
  

87 
  

81.3% 
  

74.2% 
  

78.7% 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

<150 
  

17 
  

87.9% 
  

81.6% 
  

80.9% 
  



Falkirk 
  

<150 
  

11 
  

80.1% 
  

72.7% 
  

82.6% 
  



150+ 
  

37 
  

79.8% 
  

74.3% 
  

79.9% 
  



Fife 
  

<150 
  

55 
  

77.0% 
  

71.2% 
  

77.4% 
  



150+ 
  

91 
  

73.3% 
  

62.7% 
  

73.1% 
  



Glasgow City 
  

<150 
  

50 
  

70.5% 
  

58.0% 
  

72.0% 
  



150+ 
  

153 
  

78.0% 
  

67.9% 
  

77.9% 
  



Highland 
  

<150 
  

127 
  

80.9% 
  

76.3% 
  

80.4% 
  



150+ 
  

47 
  

78.8% 
  

69.0% 
  

77.5% 
  



Inverclyde 
  

<150 
  

8 
  

74.6% 
  

65.7% 
  

74.8% 
  



150+ 
  

24 
  

79.7% 
  

69.3% 
  

80.8% 
  



Midlothian 
  

<150 
  

13 
  

73.6% 
  

67.2% 
  

72.3% 
  



150+ 
  

23 
  

75.2% 
  

65.8% 
  

72.7% 
  



Moray 
  

<150 
  

24 
  

78.8% 
  

69.7% 
  

76.7% 
  



150+ 
  

22 
  

80.8% 
  

72.9% 
  

79.8% 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

<150 
  

15 
  

82.7% 
  

73.8% 
  

82.9% 
  



150+ 
  

38 
  

80.0% 
  

69.2% 
  

81.0% 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

<150 
  

30 
  

80.8% 
  

69.2% 
  

78.9% 
  



150+ 
  

99 
  

80.7% 
  

70.2% 
  

81.8% 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

<150 
  

16 
  

87.4% 
  

79.6% 
  

83.5% 
  



150+ 
  

5 
  

77.9% 
  

72.6% 
  

81.1% 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

<150 
  

49 
  

84.4% 
  

77.5% 
  

82.7% 
  



150+ 
  

28 
  

80.7% 
  

71.9% 
  

80.5% 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

<150 
  

6 
  

78.8% 
  

64.7% 
  

81.9% 
  



150+ 
  

46 
  

81.7% 
  

71.4% 
  

81.7% 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

<150 
  

47 
  

83.8% 
  

74.0% 
  

82.0% 
  



150+ 
  

24 
  

82.0% 
  

72.6% 
  

79.1% 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

<150 
  

32 
  

84.9% 
  

70.2% 
  

80.8% 
  



150+ 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  

* 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

<150 
  

19 
  

79.5% 
  

70.3% 
  

80.4% 
  



150+ 
  

26 
  

84.1% 
  

75.4% 
  

85.1% 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

<150 
  

42 
  

81.9% 
  

72.3% 
  

81.8% 
  



150+ 
  

82 
  

83.3% 
  

72.8% 
  

83.9% 
  



Stirling 
  

<150 
  

23 
  

86.1% 
  

81.8% 
  

85.2% 
  



150+ 
  

19 
  

79.8% 
  

71.7% 
  

76.4% 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

<150 
  

7 
  

76.3% 
  

69.7% 
  

72.8% 
  



150+ 
  

28 
  

81.5% 
  

69.3% 
  

80.6% 
  



West Lothian 
  

<150 
  

21 
  

79.5% 
  

69.4% 
  

79.5% 
  



150+ 
  

44 
  

77.8% 
  

67.2% 
  

75.7% 
  



  Sources: National 5-14 Attainment Survey, June 2001 School Census, September 2000.

  Note: Results based on less than five schools are marked with an * to ensure individual school results cannot be identified.

Schools

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3907 by Mr Jack McConnell on 4 October 2001, whether (a) the deadline for local authorities' bids in respect of Public/Private Partnerships for improving school buildings and (b) the expected date for deciding and announcing funding allocations have changed and what the reasons are for any such change.

Nicol Stephen: There has been no change in these dates.

Schools

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number and percentage of secondary school pupils who continued their education in state schools beyond the age of 16, broken down by education authority, in each year from 1994 to date.

Nicol Stephen: The numbers and percentages of pupils staying on at school in S5 above school leaving age are given in the following tables.

  





Voluntary S5 roll 
  



1994 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000p




Aberdeen City 
  

1,267 
  

1,405 
  

1,300 
  

1,438 
  

1,357 
  

1,300 
  

1,356 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

1,938 
  

2,136 
  

2,017 
  

2,043 
  

1,977 
  

1,965 
  

1,912 
  



Angus 
  

855 
  

880 
  

950 
  

934 
  

872 
  

896 
  

967 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

766 
  

834 
  

769 
  

809 
  

815 
  

819 
  

782 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

369 
  

375 
  

392 
  

369 
  

401 
  

375 
  

383 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1,180 
  

1,157 
  

1,223 
  

1,280 
  

1,180 
  

1,211 
  

1,257 
  



Dundee City 
  

1,024 
  

1,040 
  

1,058 
  

1,092 
  

1,008 
  

1,020 
  

980 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

1,000 
  

991 
  

1,026 
  

1,032 
  

1,062 
  

1,029 
  

1,043 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

1,123 
  

1,278 
  

1,324 
  

1,226 
  

1,269 
  

1,263 
  

1,263 
  



East Lothian 
  

539 
  

531 
  

615 
  

571 
  

595 
  

572 
  

651 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

1,008 
  

1,001 
  

1,052 
  

997 
  

1,011 
  

1,058 
  

1,065 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

2,119 
  

2,448 
  

2,406 
  

2,419 
  

2,407 
  

2,407 
  

2,421 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

310 
  

324 
  

313 
  

305 
  

320 
  

259 
  

266 
  



Falkirk 
  

1,094 
  

1,086 
  

1,243 
  

1,151 
  

1,174 
  

1,174 
  

1,165 
  



Fife 
  

2,788 
  

2,987 
  

3,078 
  

3,082 
  

2,934 
  

2,918 
  

2,913 
  



Glasgow City 
  

3,578 
  

3,459 
  

3,667 
  

3,409 
  

3,256 
  

3,454 
  

3,365 
  



Highland 
  

2,042 
  

2,112 
  

2,205 
  

2,178 
  

2,114 
  

2,010 
  

2,084 
  



Inverclyde 
  

782 
  

862 
  

862 
  

793 
  

744 
  

789 
  

757 
  



Midlothian 
  

618 
  

685 
  

675 
  

657 
  

622 
  

630 
  

638 
  



Moray 
  

740 
  

711 
  

725 
  

825 
  

756 
  

695 
  

741 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

1,242 
  

1,247 
  

1,251 
  

1,235 
  

1,132 
  

1,122 
  

1,201 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

3,115 
  

3,228 
  

3,289 
  

3,167 
  

2,920 
  

3,003 
  

3,015 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

203 
  

201 
  

192 
  

187 
  

188 
  

184 
  

172 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

957 
  

1,018 
  

1,034 
  

1,083 
  

1,073 
  

1,147 
  

1,043 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

1,477 
  

1,619 
  

1,646 
  

1,591 
  

1,457 
  

1,490 
  

1,517 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

801 
  

856 
  

808 
  

856 
  

873 
  

872 
  

870 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

227 
  

204 
  

243 
  

202 
  

203 
  

211 
  

203 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

1,094 
  

1,072 
  

1,092 
  

1,173 
  

1,048 
  

1,042 
  

1,062 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

2,840 
  

3,002 
  

2,999 
  

2,827 
  

2,700 
  

2,806 
  

2,775 
  



Stirling 
  

733 
  

839 
  

795 
  

814 
  

793 
  

764 
  

793 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

837 
  

819 
  

906 
  

869 
  

861 
  

924 
  

913 
  



West Lothian 
  

1,181 
  

1,128 
  

1,228 
  

1,253 
  

1,161 
  

1,177 
  

1,129 
  



Scotland 
  

39,847 
  

41,535 
  

42,383 
  

41,867 
  

40,283 
  

40,586 
  

40,702 
  



  





S5 voluntary staying on rate 
  



1994 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000p




Aberdeen City 
  

60 
  

64 
  

60 
  

65 
  

62 
  

61 
  

65 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

67 
  

68 
  

66 
  

68 
  

71 
  

67 
  

67 
  



Angus 
  

64 
  

65 
  

68 
  

66 
  

65 
  

64 
  

67 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

77 
  

73 
  

71 
  

75 
  

76 
  

77 
  

77 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

64 
  

66 
  

65 
  

66 
  

70 
  

68 
  

68 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

66 
  

63 
  

65 
  

67 
  

64 
  

69 
  

64 
  



Dundee City 
  

61 
  

61 
  

60 
  

60 
  

59 
  

58 
  

56 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

64 
  

68 
  

64 
  

66 
  

68 
  

69 
  

70 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

73 
  

76 
  

74 
  

75 
  

78 
  

79 
  

78 
  



East Lothian 
  

65 
  

59 
  

63 
  

63 
  

65 
  

65 
  

68 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

85 
  

83 
  

81 
  

82 
  

83 
  

84 
  

84 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

67 
  

68 
  

67 
  

68 
  

68 
  

70 
  

66 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

69 
  

72 
  

77 
  

75 
  

76 
  

74 
  

75 
  



Falkirk 
  

67 
  

63 
  

70 
  

67 
  

70 
  

72 
  

69 
  



Fife 
  

65 
  

67 
  

67 
  

68 
  

67 
  

69 
  

68 
  



Glasgow City 
  

62 
  

57 
  

58 
  

56 
  

56 
  

58 
  

57 
  



Highland 
  

73 
  

73 
  

72 
  

73 
  

75 
  

73 
  

74 
  



Inverclyde 
  

71 
  

70 
  

69 
  

69 
  

68 
  

72 
  

68 
  



Midlothian 
  

62 
  

63 
  

63 
  

63 
  

60 
  

63 
  

62 
  



Moray 
  

71 
  

66 
  

66 
  

70 
  

68 
  

65 
  

71 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

77 
  

70 
  

66 
  

67 
  

64 
  

66 
  

67 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

70 
  

69 
  

67 
  

67 
  

67 
  

69 
  

69 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

75 
  

76 
  

69 
  

65 
  

70 
  

67 
  

64 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

71 
  

71 
  

72 
  

73 
  

80 
  

76 
  

73 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

69 
  

71 
  

70 
  

67 
  

66 
  

68 
  

66 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

68 
  

67 
  

68 
  

70 
  

72 
  

73 
  

71 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

67 
  

62 
  

63 
  

62 
  

67 
  

70 
  

71 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

76 
  

74 
  

72 
  

71 
  

74 
  

71 
  

70 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

75 
  

72 
  

70 
  

68 
  

69 
  

71 
  

71 
  



Stirling 
  

69 
  

73 
  

72 
  

76 
  

76 
  

72 
  

79 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

68 
  

65 
  

66 
  

65 
  

64 
  

70 
  

70 
  



West Lothian 
  

62 
  

58 
  

61 
  

62 
  

61 
  

62 
  

60 
  



Scotland 
  

68 
  

67 
  

67 
  

67 
  

67 
  

68 
  

68 
  



  Note: The data for Glasgow City includes Jordanhill School.

  Data for 2000 is provisional and subject to slight revision. The figures exclude pupils who leave school in S5 on reaching the school leaving age at the end of the first term. S5 voluntary staying on rates are calculated from the number of pupils in S3 two years earlier.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Scheme

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that representatives of the Scottish Bus Group Pensioners’ Action Committee are allowed to participate in any discussions on the distribution of the ex-gratia payments from the Scottish Transport Group pension funds surplus.

Lewis Macdonald: As I informed Parliament on 29 November, my officials would meet representatives of the Scottish Bus Group Pensioners' Action Committee, representatives of trade unions and members of the Scottish Parliament to inform them of the processes leading to the making of ex-gratia payments and of the Executive's eligibility criteria and distribution arrangements. The meeting was held on 17 December.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has yet completed compiling a full list of eligible beneficiaries under the Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes; if so on what date this list was completed and, if not, what action is being taken in order to complete it.

Lewis Macdonald: No. Following approval by the Finance Committee of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish ministers have issued indemnities to the trustees which enable them to proceed to wind up the pension schemes. Until the schemes are wound up, the trustees have a responsibility to keep confidential records about scheme members.

  The Executive is working closely with the trustees and is discussing whether it is possible for the trustees to make details of scheme members available to the Executive ahead of the formal wind-up of the pension schemes, in the light of the indemnities they have now obtained, and ministers' expressed intention to make ex-gratia payments to scheme members.

  In addition, the Executive has prepared and distributed a pro-forma to interested parties which enables potential beneficiaries to register their interest with the Executive.

Single European Currency

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to prepare for the possible introduction of the euro and what assistance or advice is being made available to businesses to help them prepare for a possible introduction.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The euro currency was introduced as a formal retailing currency in 12 countries on 1 January 2002. The legacy currencies of each country will be withdrawn from circulation by no later than the end of February 2002.

  Scotland Europa, in conjunction with HM Treasury, is implementing a detailed programme, including workshops, conferences, publications and a telephone hotline to provide advice to Scottish businesses and raise awareness of the need to make appropriate preparations for the introduction of the currency.

  UK membership of the single currency is a reserved issue. The Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the government’s policy on membership to the House of Commons in October 1997, which was restated by the Prime Minister in a statement to the House in February 1999.

Teachers

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers in relation to ensuring that those wishing to pursue the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE Primary) and who are leaving other careers in industry or the public sector are not deterred from doing so by virtue of the initial entitlement to pay.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) is not a free-standing organisation, but is a forum through which the Scottish Executive, COSLA and the teacher organisations can reach collaborative decisions.

  There have been significant improvements in pay, conditions and opportunities for teachers arising from the Agreement on a Teaching Profession for the 21st Century.

  Negotiations on a range of issues relating to pay and conditions are continuing through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). Proposals from the SNCT Working Group on Conditions of Service relating to probationers will be considered at the next meeting of the SNCT on 31 January.

Transport

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-20257 and S1W-20258 by Lewis MacDonald on 6 December 2001, whether the contractual protection of the pension rights of local authority staff in its tender process for the new trunk road maintenance contracts could have been improved.

Lewis Macdonald: No. In line with an undertaking given by the former Minister of Transport and Planning, we are exploring whether payment can be made directly to employees who were transferred to the new Operating Companies under TUPE terms.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a responsibility on tyre producers for the disposal of tyres in an environmentally acceptable way.

Ross Finnie: Under forthcoming regulations a ban on disposal of tyres to landfill will be phased in from July 2003. The Scottish Executive is also developing legislation dealing with End of Life Vehicles (ELV). This will apply to cars and light commercial vehicles and will require producers to recover 85% by average weight of an ELV by 2006. It is likely that vehicle manufacturers will look to tyres to help them meet this requirement. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be responsible for ensuring that recovery is carried out to high standards of environmental acceptability.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it aims to introduce a total ban on the disposal of tyres in landfill sites.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive intends to phase in a ban on the disposal of tyres to landfill from July 2003. A consultation on proposed regulations to implement these and other controls on landfills will be issued shortly.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what goals it has for the recycling of vehicles which have reached the end of their useful life.

Ross Finnie: The Executive aims to make regulations later this year to introduce the following:

  for all vehicles, a re-use and recovery target of 85% and a re-use and recycling target of 80%, both expressed as average weight per vehicle and year;

  for vehicles produced before 1 January 1980, a re-use and recovery target of 75% and a re-use and recycling target of 70%, both expressed as average weight per vehicle and year, and

  by 1 January 2015, for all vehicles, a re-use and recovery target of 95% and a re-use and recycling target of 85%, again expressed as average weight per vehicle and year.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of vehicles which have reached the end of their useful life are subsequently recycled.

Ross Finnie: In 1999 an average of 77% of the total weight of end-of-life vehicles in the UK was re-used, recycled or recovered, with the remaining 23% being landfilled.